Hunt For The $20B Treasure Starts In A Few Days

Yes, you read that right. Twenty billion is waiting to be recovered from the bottom of the sea. What is all this money doing deep down among fish and ocean creatures?

Well, in 1708, the San José was sunk off Colombia’s Caribbean coast by the British Navy. And it was full of coins, presumably 11 million gold coins. Today, those small coins are worth between $10B and $20B. Although the video by Associated Press below states that it was sunk in 1709, the galleon actually met its fate on the night of June 8, 1708, near Cartagena, Colombia. One would expect AP to be accurate.

The announcement of Colombia’s intention to retrieve treasures from the San José, a 300-year-old shipwreck, not only reignites the allure of undiscovered riches but also exposes the web of historical, legal, and ethical considerations surrounding such endeavors.

The San José, often referred to as the “holy grail of shipwrecks,” sank off Colombia’s Caribbean coast in 1709, taking with it an estimated billions of dollars worth of gold, silver, and emeralds. This ship, owned by the Spanish crown when it met its demise at the hands of the British navy, represents a significant moment in maritime history and the climax of colonial maritime conflict.